A Beauty of it's Own
by Silver Standard Society
Summary: It had hurt her when she realized that she'd been collected.That she was something to be owned and not loved. What hurt more was the fact that she didn't mind. Well that would have to change.[One shot][SessXKag]


A Beauty Of It's Own By Tosheii (Written during Biology class)  
  
Pairing: Sesshomaru & Kagome  
  
Genre: Drama/Romance [One Shot]  
  
Broken down into three parts: Kagome's side of the story, Sesshomaru's side of the story, and Reunited. Constructive Criticism and reviews are always welcome. Enjoy!   
  
: :  
  
Kagome:  
  
She was shivering. The rain and wind were taking the phrase "freezing to death" to unbelievable heights of reality. Her head swam with dizziness due to the extent of exhaustion she was facing. She hadn't eaten or had water for nearly two days and the weather was getting her sick, extremely fast. Yet even if she was wet, cold, hungry, poorly dressed, and alone she couldn't help the fact that she was completely satisfied with herself. She looked down at her tattered clothing and sighed, knowing it had once been a beautiful kind of material. She had liked it very much but it had been part of her price for her so-called freedom.  
  
He had destroyed it. Ripped her kimono to shreds with a single flex of his demon claws. He owned it after all. He could do whatever he wanted to his possessions. But he had been greatly mistaken when he had thought she belonged to him. She would never belong to him. She belonged to no one.  
  
Thunder and lightning flashed and she jumped slightly. For a brief moment she whished she could curl up at his fireplace once again, with a book in her hand. Perhaps even one of those interesting books on mechanics. She was different from the other women. She preferred science to romance, defiance to obedience, and individuality to formality. Perhaps that was what had attracted him to her in the first place. He collected things that were unique and different.  
  
'All I was to him was a collectors item,' she thought bitterly. 'Something to be admired then placed aside on a shelf with no other purpose than to gather dust.' Her mind told her as she hugged her kneed closer to her body, trying to preserve the little warmth she had left. She winced at the pain on her arm and the strange painful feeling in the pit of her stomach. She was hungrier than she thought.  
  
She noticed the big bruise on her arm and had almost forgotten he had lashed out at her. He had been angry when she had told him that she had seen him. Upset that he had bee caught with another woman and too proud to accept the fact that consequences existed for his actions. So in rage he had shredded her clothing and bruised her arm, trying to force himself on her and prove that she belonged to him. Though as soon as he let his guard down for a second, because the woman he had been with had entered, she had fled out into the rain. Too scared to see where she ran, she escaped into the night hoping never to return.  
  
So here she was. Sitting in a rotten and rat infested alley between two buildings. She had originally gone to the park but once she had remembered her ruined attire she quickly became aware that she was a target for anyone. Any lusting man could easily take advantage of her in the state she was in. She had fled the park as soon as paranoia set in and she felt as if she were being watched and followed.  
  
But where had she to go? Her parents abandoned her a long time ago and were never heard of again. She knew no one in this city and no one cared. She was alone...again.  
  
As she looked out ahead of the alley she was startled to see the outline of someone walking towards her. It was he! She was sure of it. He was coming for her, his long black unbuttoned coat flying wildly around him, due to the force of wind. His arms were open, in a welcoming gesture as he advanced toward her, making her long to jump up and spring to him. She was about to call out his name but before she even made a sound he suddenly disappeared.  
  
She cried out in shock and disapproval, looking around to see where he had gone off. Then she gently slapped her forehead. She was delusional. Her fever must have gotten worse. She was not supposed to want him to rescue her. She meant nothing to him and she never would. 'I'll never let him have me!' her mind roared.  
  
She bowed her head down as the rain came down harder. Even is she was satisfied with her act of independence she couldn't ignore the feeling of loss. She had met him, known him, and had grown to fall in love with him. And even though he had betrayed her, right in front of her very own eyes, she could not dislodge the feeling of love she held for him.  
  
It was her weakness.  
  
And there was nothing more she loathed than weaknesses.  
  
By now, she was so wet that she didn't notice the rain had stopped falling on her. It took her several moments to realize that she could still hear the rain but no longer feel it.  
  
Automatically she knew why.  
  
She looked up and saw the outline of a black umbrella in the dim light of a streetlamp. Her vision began to blur again as she focused on one object and it moved back and forth in front of her eyes. She swayed her direction over to the holder of the umbrella and couldn't make him out quite clearly but she knew whom it was. She wasn't delusional. It was he after all.  
  
Though this left her with a question. Had he come to get her out of pure concern or had he come just to prove to her that she could not survive without him? She had nowhere to go. No family to call her own. Yet despite the fact that she had ran away to get away from him, she couldn't hide her joy at seeing him. She had proved her point though. She proved that she could and would leave whenever she wanted to. Though she ignored the fact that she had wished he would find her and take her back to his home.  
  
"I knew you'd come," she whispered with a small and weak smile. Then finally it got to her. The cold, the hunger, the wetness, and the pain overwhelmed her as she closed her eyes and fainted.  
  
: :  
  
Sesshomaru:  
  
'Damn the weather,' he thought as his driver turned a corner. The rain was coming down too hard to make out anything. It also didn't help the situation that it was late outside and that most of the streetlamps flickered rather than shone brightly. How was he supposed to find her like this?  
  
He closed his eyes and with one hand, massaged a temple. 'Why would I want to?' he mentally asked himself. It was a question he could not answer. She was a woman. She was expendable. So why was he making his driver roam the city streets just to find her?  
  
He knew it was more than lust that attracted him to that strange woman. Yet strange wasn't the exact word to describe her. She was...different.  
  
Unique.  
  
He prized those who were unique. It showed strength. Those who were unique were ones who were willing to go distances to obtain what they wanted. They didn't back down or flinch when opportunity came yet grabbed it in a way that was different with each unique being.  
  
'Yes,' he thought to himself. ' That describes her perfectly.'  
  
"I thought you were taking me home," the woman beside him said, breaking him away from his thoughts. He glanced at her and looked away, looking through the window to see if he could see something, anything that would lead him to her.  
  
"Are you taking me home or looking for that girl who walked in on us?" the woman asked, angrily.  
  
Sesshomaru sent her a sharp look. She was the reason he was in this whole damned situation. He had actually allowed himself to be "caught" with a woman. Although he thought this whole thing was plainly idiotic, simply because he had no relationship to commit to.  
  
Then she, that strange, unique, awful woman dare accuse him of being unfaithful.  
  
He was unfaithful to whom? Her? Surely not.  
  
"Answer me!" the woman yelled. "Either take me home or let me off right now! After that embarrassing ordeal tonight, I'm in no mood for games," she snapped.  
  
He studied her slowly before coming to a decision. "Have patience, Kikyo" he gave the reply. He was not in the best of moods right now and she was only making it worse. He signaled the driver to take a different route and the driver nodded once and turned another corner.  
  
"Thank you," Kikyo said, her tone still bitter. She crossed her arm and scowled, staring out the window.  
  
"I don't understand why you need her anyway," she mumbled under her breath. The jealousy was plain on her face but he ignored it.  
  
Why would he need her? He was rich, mostly famous, well respected, and would always be that way. He needed no woman but instead used them to fit his needs. So what made her so special?  
  
She had lived with him for almost six months, now. Perhaps he had grown accustomed to her? Perhaps he was worried because he knew that she had nowhere or no one to turn to.  
  
'Nonsense,' he chided himself. Those thoughts did no good for him. He would drop this woman home and return to his own estate, glad to be rid of both of them.  
  
There was a vibration in his pocket followed by a plain and high-pitched ring. Casually he reached in and brought out a small cellular, pressing a button before placing it to his ear.  
  
"What?" he asked sharply. Though one wouldn't be able to tell if he was in a bad mood or not since he always answered the phone that way.  
  
It seemed, to Kikyo, that he began having a conversation with himself.  
  
"Yes" he spoke into the phone, eyes narrowing.  
  
"When?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I assure you I did not,"  
  
"Don't be an idiot, Miroku."  
  
"Perhaps. We'll talk about that later."  
  
Sesshomaru snapped his fingers and pointed to a paper pad. Kikyo reached for it and tossed it to him. She was about to look for a pen but he pulled a sleek, black, and very expensive looking one out of his inner pocket and scribbled something down.  
  
"Are you sure?" he asked as he paused in his writing and looked at Kikyo. She looked away, another twisted scowl settling on her delicate face.  
  
He pulled the phone away from his ear and showed her the paper.  
  
"Tell me what this is." He demanded.  
  
In mock defiance she hesitated before snatching the pad away from him and looking at it. "My address," she said, her tone changing from anger to confusion. "Where'd you-"  
  
He cut her off by putting the phone back to his ear.  
  
"I'll get back to you." He said before hanging up.  
  
He looked at the phone before tucking it back in his pocket and staring out the window once more.  
  
"What the hell was that all about?" Kikyo asked. "Who gave you my address?"  
  
"Doesn't matter. We were headed there anyway." He said, brushing the subject off.  
  
Kikyo uncrossed her legs and crossed them again, trying to get comfortable. She produced a sleek cigarette holder from her purse and fumbled to find a cigarette.  
  
"Men," she mumbled. "I can't stand men." She found one and shakily placed it in the holder.  
  
"So stop sleeping with the rich ones," he snapped. Had he bought that holder for her? He couldn't remember.  
  
There was always a gift for a woman he had been with. His way of thanks, some people would say. Yet Kikyo had the reputation of being a financial beneficiate of many of the wealthiest men in the city.  
  
To put it shortly, she was a gold digger.  
  
"Poor men are actually boys," she continued. "But then again you're all the same. Stupid and clingy. Especially you, Sesshomaru Takahashi. You and your charming brother are both stupid and clingy...and terribly rich."  
  
This brought an arrogant smirk to his face and he raised an eyebrow, an annoying trait he had picked up from his brother. "How so?" he asked.  
  
Kikyo didn't even light the cigarette. She just liked holding it. It made her feel important.  
  
"Well for one thing, you are only rich because of your father's law firm, correct?"  
  
"Perhaps. I'm a lawyer too and it count's for something."  
  
"Bullshit. Without your father's respect and trust being passed onto you and your brother, you both would be at the bottom and I wouldn't have given you a second glance."  
  
"I'm so glad you let your colors show, Kikyo." He said sarcastically. He knew she was only after his money from the very start. Though that's what he liked about her. She got what she wanted and never gave up until she did.  
  
"I'm not sure how my money explains the stupidity part-"  
  
"Money makes everyone stupid." She interrupted. "And not having money means you're so stupid that you don't know how to get it."  
  
"Point." He said with a little nod.  
  
"Now for the clingy part," she said. She looked at him and looked out the window. "That girl. Little miss what's-her-name is what you're clinging to."  
  
"Wrong. I'm taking you home,"  
  
"Bullshit again." She said with a smile. "I may sleep around a lot, but I am not stupid. Taking me home was your first objective until that little phone call came in." She said pointing to his pocket.  
  
"You sent a little lapdog after her, didn't you?"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Oh, don't play stupid. You have a lot of pull in this town. One call and you had the whole city looking for her. So they found her near my house, huh? Ironic isn't it?"  
  
"Not really. She's a woman. And I cling to no woman,"  
  
Kikyo snorted. "You drive outside in the middle of the night and the freezing rain looking for some immature and ignorant young girl who, as I recalled, openly defied you and ran away and you don't call that clingy?"  
  
She sat back against the seat and rolled her eyes. "My god, men are even stupider than I imagined."  
  
The car slowed down to a stop.  
  
"We have arrived," the driver announced. He placed a black cap on his head and grabbed a black umbrella, getting out of the car and closing the door behind him.  
  
He opened the back door and offered a hand to Kikyo.  
  
"Call me when you get over her," she said and took the driver's hand, getting out of the car and under the umbrella. "But don't expect me to wait by the phone."  
  
Sesshomaru watched his driver walk her to her building and made sure she got inside before beginning to return to the car.  
  
Then, quickly remembering the phone call he looked around the dark surroundings for anything familiar.  
  
No one was on the streets. Perhaps she was inside?  
  
He stepped outside and looked around more carefully, ignoring the new feeling of hard rain wetting his clothes.  
  
His source had told him she was here and his sources were never wrong.  
  
He walked towards Kikyo's building, and met the driver halfway before taking the umbrella from him and telling him to wait in the car. Then he quickly went inside of the building.  
  
Looking around the lobby he noticed that Kikyo had already gone up. He checked the main floor and found it empty.  
  
She wasn't there.  
  
Sighing, he returned outside and began walking back the car.  
  
He reached in his pocket and dialed a number, ready to "kindly" talk to a certain "source" when he caught glimpse of something moving in the alley between Kikyo's buildings. He stopped and stared at it, seeing if it would move again before slowly walking towards it.  
  
As he neared he could make out black hair and torn clothing and he tucked the phone back into his pocket.  
  
He had found her.  
  
And now that he had, he was suddenly filled with an urge to turn around and drive off, leaving her here to fall ill and waste in the streets.  
  
A kind thought, if you asked his opinion.  
  
He loomed over her, his umbrella sheltering her from the rain. Her head was tucked between her knees and he impatiently waited for her to acknowledge him. It was a few minutes before she looked up.  
  
Was she _smiling_?  
  
Her face was dirty and she looked extremely tired. He could tell she was freezing by the way she was violently shaking. And yet she was smiling.  
  
He opened his mouth to give her a sharp remark but she suddenly spoke out.  
  
"I knew you'd come," she whispered.  
  
Then with a flutter of her eyes she fainted, her body falling limp near his shoes. He looked down on her with hard eyes before looking around the alley.  
  
Tossing the umbrella aside, he picked her up carefully and brought her back to his car and signaled his driver to bring them home.  
  
: :  
  
Reunited  
  
"She still isn't speaking to you?"  
  
"Since when was it your business?"  
  
"It never was," Miroku said with a shrug. He took the sharp reply as a "No". He hesitated before continuing. "About that reward....."  
  
"For finding her?" Sesshomaru finished for the man. "I'll transfer it to your bank account."  
  
"No," Miroku said as he stuck his hands in his pockets. "I don't want it."  
  
"No?" Sesshomaru repeated, raising an eyebrow. It was unusual for Miroku to say no to anything. Especially when it came to money...and women.  
  
"God, you look like your brother when you do that." Miroku groaned. He worked with both brothers and was constantly doing odd jobs for them. Nothing too dirty, he was a remotely religious man after all but not all of his jobs was exactly on the side of the law either.  
  
"Anyway, I don't want the money" he said, taking his hands out of his pocket before sticking them back in. It was a sure sign of nervousness...or regret. Most likely both.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Just don't feel right," he replied. He looked at the closed door off to the side of the study they were currently in and knew that she was in there. Probably eavesdropping.  
  
"Why all of a sudden does it not feel 'right'?" he asked. "It's a job. Your job. You get paid for doing it just like every other hired hand I have. And she's just like every other assignment given to you."  
  
"Ah!" Miroku said waving a finger at his boss. "That is where your wrong, my friend. Miss Kagome is not like any other 'assignment'." He informed his boss with a small smile. During the short time Kagome had been here, they had become close friends of a sort. Miroku had gained so much respect for her that he didn't even grope her very often. She was a nice person in his opinion, (which he would keep to himself) and she didn't deserve to be with a man who had no commitment to anything but his business.  
  
"If you don't want to get paid what do you want?" He asked.  
  
Miroku had to think about that. He had to get something for his services or else it became a favor. And if there is one thing that Sesshomaru would hate to do is to owe favors to anybody.  
  
"Is she alright?" Miroku asked, finally. "When I found her she looked very sick."  
  
"I had a doctor called for her. She slept off the fever for the past eighteen hours and had been in stable position ever since," he informed matter-of-factly.  
  
Miroku nodded and turned, walking over to the coat rack and grabbing his jacket. "That's better than a paycheck," he said as he slid it on. He began walking away, out of the office, not even looking back. "See you later boss," he called out as he opened the door. "Say Hi to Kagome for me. Tell her my offer is still open." He said and left before Sesshomaru could as what he meant.  
  
He heard a small snort and laughter from the room in the back of his study and turned around.  
  
"You may come out and stop eavesdropping," he said stiffly.  
  
There was a pause, a soft sigh and finally the door opened and Kagome walked out, the last traces of her smile fading on her face. She walked around his desk and sat across from him, silent as ever.  
  
Sesshomaru glared at her and stood, placing his hands at his back like a strict father about to chastise a wayward daughter.  
  
"Do you know how much trouble you've been?" he asked.  
  
Kagome looked straight ahead, giving no indication that she had heard. Her eyes were bright and looked as if she were frightened but containing it well.  
  
"Answer me."  
  
"What do you want me to say?"  
  
Sesshomaru hesitated and sat down again, clearly tired of dealing with her. "Never mind. Say nothing."  
  
And she did.  
  
He simply shrugged and grabbed a file off his organized desk and began reading it. Kagome's eyes darted to him and away again. After several more moments she realized that he was absorbed in his work and she stared at him.  
  
"What Kagome?" he asked as he read the paper. He could feel her eyes on him and it made him uncomfortable.  
  
"Nothing..."  
  
"What is it? Tell me. Because if looks could kill I'd be dying right now," he said as he closed the file and looked at her.  
  
Kagome made a face and crossed her arms. "What am I to you?"  
  
"A woman,"  
  
"Your woman?" Sesshomaru hesitated. How in all blazes was he supposed to answer that? Well.....he had clothed her, fed her, put a roof over her head and provided her with things she couldn't even provide herself with. The answer was obvious.  
  
"Yes,"  
  
Kagome stood and slammed her hands on the desk. "No. Wrong answer! I am not- "  
  
-At this he began talking while she ways yelling at him-  
  
"Kagome I have fed you and clothed you and taken care of you without taking anything from you-"  
  
"I don't understand how you can just think you own me! Wait! before you even say all that listen to what I have to say because I-"  
  
"Please hush and sit down, your making noise over nothing. I can barely work over the din you make these days. What the hell are you complaining about?-"  
  
"Oh you bastard there would be no noise if you had the least shred of respect for me!"  
  
"-Respect is what you want? Give before you receive, woman! All I've done is given to you and I haven't gotten anything back. Why should I-"  
  
"Is that what you want? You want something back? Receive this you conceited bastard!" she said and before he knew it, everything had gone silent with one rounding slap to the face.  
  
Kagome froze and hr anger dissipated away as she looked at what she had done and backed up slightly. She had never hit anyone, ANYONE in her whole entire life before. She stared at Sesshomaru and sat down quietly, looking down at her lap.  
  
Sesshomaru rubbed his stinging cheek. Had she just did what he thought she did?  
  
"Woman," he began  
  
Kagome flinched at the tone of his voice. "I'm sorry," she said, her head still down. "I was just so upset and I acted in rage. I am so sorry Sesshomaru," she said, her voice lighter as she began to choke back soft sobs.  
  
"Look at me,"  
  
Her eyes darted up for a few moments, hands reaching out slightly before dropping back in her lap. "I am really sorry," she whispered.  
  
Sesshomaru stood and walked around the desk, placing his hand under her cheek and lifting it up so that she was forced to look at him. She looked frightened and she recoiled out of his grip, hoping that he wasn't in the mood for striking back. He sighed tiredly and shook his head. Since when had she been so afraid of him?  
  
"It's all right," he said, his voice gentler than his expression. "I probably deserved it-"  
  
"Oh but I had no right to hit you," she cut him off, her hand flying to where she had slapped him. It still stung but she rubbed his cheek softly, making him relax. "I should have behaved myself huh? You probably think I'm just a child now."  
  
"Well yes," Sesshomaru admitted with a small nod. She scowled and gave his cheek a light tap "But what's done is done. You've lost your temper and I've lost mine. I will admit I may have not been acting accordingly myself."  
  
Kagome smiled now, embracing him and kissing his other cheek before looking at him. "No," She admitted. "You haven't."  
  
She kissed his cheek again and apologized once more making sure that he really forgiven her.  
  
"So what do we do now?" she asked as she sat down and looked up at him, automatically expecting him to plan out the next steps for her as he always did. He sighed; clearly starting to get why she would always be so pissed off with him. Ever since the day they had met he had been in control. He picked the places they ate and the places they would shop. Overall she had given him complete control over her life and he had taken advantage of it. The only reason she grew mad is because sometimes she realized that he would treat her as if she were an obedient dog, waiting for her master's orders. Or like a young child who must have everything done for her and to be ignored when she wanted to make her own choices.  
  
"We talk," he said, she raised an eyebrow, curiously, proving she had been around him for too long. Miroku was going to hate it when he found out she was picking up Sesshomaru's habits.  
  
"We find out how you want to be treated and how I would like to be treated. We make amends and talk some more," he continued. "Then after that you'll order some food and we'll lock ourselves in my bedroom and don't come out for a few days."  
  
She laughed which made him smile. He noticed how her eyes lighted up when she smiled. And how the whole room seemed brighter when she was happy.  
  
'She is unique,' he thought as she took his hand and pulled him towards the kitchen. 'A one of a kind.' But he discarded that and shook his head, looking for something to better suit her...but how else could he describe her?  
  
"What did Miroku mean when he said his offer was still open?"  
  
Kagome laughed and blushed at the same time, signaling that he had made another one of his famous perverted jokes.  
  
"He told me that his great ancestor was a god," she explained. "And that he had traces of power still flowing within his blood. And that I could become a goddess if I made a sacrifice to him." At this she laughed.  
  
"I don't get it."  
  
"The sacrifice is my virginity," she said. "I must admit I didn't find it funny until now..."  
  
Sesshomaru growled and squeezed her hand a bit tighter, signaling how protective of her he was getting.  
  
"He was joking," Kagome said with a big smile. "But then again maybe I should-"  
  
"No. Absolutely not, if anyone's making you a goddess then it's me."  
  
She laughed again and squeezed his hand also. "Good." She said. "Being a goddess is probably fantastic. Wouldn't that be something? Being one I mean. Gods and Goddesses have a class and beauty of their own."  
  
"I have a book on Greek mythology if you want to read," Sesshomaru offered as they reached the kitchen and separated, she going to search the cupboards and he sitting down.  
  
"I'd love to read it," Kagome said as she pulled out a few different fast food menus and brought them over to the table for them to look at. He stared at her as she read the menu, silently mouthing the choices while pushing her troublesome long dark hair out of her eyes. She noticed his gaze and looked up at him, her eyes lighting up and her bright smile coming out again. He smirked back at her, knowing now that things were going to be different from now on. He would be different from now on, because he'd be damned if he lost Kagome again. She wasn't just another one of his temporary flings or a possession to be merely owned by him. She was too good for that.  
  
She was a beauty of her own entirely.  
  
End  



End file.
